Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members:
Melanolophia Members:
997 NC Records

Melanolophia canadaria (Guenée, [1858]) - Canadian Melanolophia Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: MelanolophiiniP3 Number: 911059.00 MONA Number: 6620.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized, brownish Geometrid that is very similar to Melanolophia signataria. The ground color is whitish in northern specimens but is darker in the South, heavily dusted with fucsous and often with blackish blotches in the terminal area (Forbes, 1948; Rindge, 1964). The postmedian is waved or outwardly dentate on the veins and usually represented by the preceding dark line; its course is strongly curved in towards the inner margin. During the spring, when both species fly at the same time, dissection is often needed to distinguish them.
Wingspan: 30-35 mm (Forbes, 19448)
Adult Structural Features: The right and left processes of the valves of the male are nearly equal in length in this species, whereas in signataria, the left process is much longer and and has a straight rather than curved tip (illustrated in Rindge, 1964). In female canadaria, the lamella postvaginalis a weakly sclerotized elongate projection, often weakly bifurcate at apex, shorter than lamella antevaginalis. In signataria, the lamella postvaginalis is very long, slender, well-sclerotized, and rod-like (illustrated in Rindge).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Polyphagous, feeding on a very wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs; also on pines (Wagner, 2005) - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Melanolophia canadaria - Canadian Melanolophia Moth

245 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-21
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-15
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-15
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2024-04-14
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2024-04-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-05
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-04-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-04-01
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-03-31
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-03-31
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-30
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-23
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-15
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-03-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-12
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-03-07
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-03-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2024-03-07
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-03-07
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-03-04
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-03-03
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-02
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-02-26
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-02-23
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-02-15
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-02-09
Wilson Co.
Comment: